The End Of The Line
by Alexinie
Summary: Sequel to "Lines Crossed". After 20 years as Mrs Hunt, Alex finds a way back to her old life, through a case lead. But is getting back worth the sacrifices she must make? lots of Galex. Please review.
1. Epilogue

Epilogue.

My name is Alex Hunt. You may know me as Alex Drake. I was shot, and woke up in 1982. For 3 years I fought to get home, to survive back in 2008. That was, until I stopped getting news. Then I assumed Alex drake was dead. I forgot about my previous life. I finally accepted that I was in love with a man, a man that loved me back. Gene Hunt. We were married for 20 years, and had a great life. The best life. Coincidentally, it was on our 20th wedding anniversary that we received the letter. The letter was a tip off about a case we were working on. This was the letter that led me to Brewers Street at midnight. Here with my husband and closest friends we would catch our murderer. Here, I would walk to my death.


	2. Chapter 1: The End

It was warm for midnight. But as Alex stood on the corner of Brewers Street that, it was not the cold that made her pull her black jacket around herself. She missed her old leather jacket, which she regretfully had to condemn to a life in her wardrobe after Chaz had warned her of becoming out of date. She may be getting older, but she was definitely not becoming un- fashionable. That she drew a line at.

11:45. It was almost time. The anxious faces of her closest friends showed that. Chris. Chaz. Ray. Gene. She saved her husband's face for last, hoping that she would see something there to comfort her. She wouldn't find it.

She knew this was one of the most important cases they had ever worked on. And probably one of the most dangerous. Four coppers had been abducted and murdered in a fortnight. Four of _them._ The team had committed themselves to finding the murderer, but it was just so hard. There was no evidence. No clues. No witnesses. No links between the crimes. No profile to be made. As though they were intended to target Alex herself, to play on her weaknesses. As though they were done at random. The only thing that linked them was that all the victims were police. Not only police, but with each progressive murder, the rank of the officer had increased. No leads. Until the letter.

Gene was not happy about it, but Alex had won the fight. With the team behind her, backing her decision to follow the letters instructions, there was no way Gene would not authorise the operation. He would not be seen as a coward, even if it meant putting everything he loved in danger. After all, she was a fully-grown woman; she could make her own decisions.

11:55. Closer. Silence. It was the waiting that scared her. The un-known. Could they even trust the letter? Suspicion crept across her mind like canker. No, she couldn't let that happen; it was the only lead they had, their only hope. Without a word, or glance she wound her hand through Genes. A silent gesture. _Everything would be fine. They would be fine. No more police were going to die._

00:00. It was time. There was nothing left to do but wait. The decision had been made, the plan was in action. It came with no warning, no sound or suggestion of its approach. The dark van swerved towards the group, turning last minute. GA03 FVX, the number plate was the only thing Alex registered. There was a flurry of action, followed by a blur of words.

Gene "Chris, Ray, Chaz -B team, you look up the number plate, and find where that van came from. Bolly, you're with me, A- team. We follow that van."

The darkness did not hinder him, he knew every stone of his patch, and could manoeuvre through it blindfolded. As they swerved around the corner of an east- London road, Alex was thrown towards the window. She was completely lost. She trusted Gene, trusted his driving. Wherever they were, it was sure to be right on target.

Sure enough, no more than 2 minutes later, they screeched to a halt behind the van. No tricks, no bravado. This time, she knew Gene meant business. Alex looked around; they had parked outside an old cinema. _Why lead us here? _She wondered. It took a while for her to remember, this was the place she and Gene had come on many nights, a place they could escape from recognition. This was personal she realised; they were brought **here** for a reason. Alex felt no need to tell Gene of her superstitions; she was sure he already knew. He took her hand as they followed the route of the driver, through an open door of the old building. Following the footprints in the dust.

They took four steps into the atrium. Six down another corridor. And three into the second screen. Before they were attacked. She was grabbed from behind, the arms were too strong. Their grip too firm. She couldn't fight. Her hand was ripped from Gene's as she tried to hold on with all her strength. It was not enough. She watched, bound by a stranger, terrified, as she watched her husband be jumped on. Gagged, bound with ropes by two men. The darkness hid their faces. Tow against one, Gene had no chance. He fought with all his strength, and it took several minutes of his muffled cries, and blind punches before he gave up, before he accepted there was no use.

Her suspicions were confirmed. The letter was a hoax, a trap. She should have listened to Gene; they should have never been in that street tonight. She did not know what was going to happen to them. But she was sure of one thing, the terror she saw in Genes face that night, the pure fright glistened in his eyes, she would take to her grave. However close that may be.

Alex had no idea how long they were in the dark room. It was cold. They were alone. Apart from that, there was nothing else. She crawled on her knees over to where gene was slumped, half unconscious against the wall. Anger, tears welled up inside her. How could anyone do this? Why? She started crying into his chest, his shits spattered with blood.

"Bolls, don't. Please don't cry" Gene croaked, his gag loose enough for him to speak. He couldn't move to wrap his arms around her, both their arms tied. He kissed her hair, blinking back tears of anger in his eyes. _No one. Nobody does this to Alex, to my wife. When they got out of this. I will kill every last son of a bitch connected with this. If they so much as hurt one hair on her head, they would wish he would just kill them._ They lay like this for what seemed like hours, thoughts, memories ran through Alex's mind. In reality, it was mere minutes.

Then she heard the ticking. The beeping. The unmistakable sound of a countdown. A bomb. So **this** was the reason they were lead here, the reason for the murders increasing in rank. Leading to _them_ Alex and Gene. DI and DCI. How had she not realised? Gene stiffened under her, he recognised the sound the same time as her. There was nothing they could do. They were sitting ducks. And she had led them here, brought her husband to his death. Had walked right into trap. Walked to her death.

The light blinded her. Numbers. Red numbers, counting down appeared on the cinema screen. 00:01:59. 58. 57. Fear gripped Alex, as Gene Struggled under her, to free himself of his bindings. There was no use. They were going to die. 2 minutes of life left. She had not expected this, she had seen her and Gene, growing old together, retiring, living out their life peacefully. Instead there was this. What did you say to the man who you loved the most in the world? The man who meant everything to you? How did you spend the last few minutes of life?

There was no chance of calling back up; their wires and walkie talkies had been pulled off them both when they were bound. No chances of escape, the knots were too tight. The doors were locked and padlocked. No one would think to look in this place. And by the time they did it would be too late.

00:01:03. 02. 01. She struggled against her bindings. It was no use. She looked into Gene's eyes. What she saw there was mirrored in her own. Love. Loss. Grief. Fear.

She had had the best life. Her and Gene had never had children, it would have been unfair, they were both married to the job, no time to look after a child. They had made the best memories. She regretted **nothing. **To die, at the prime of your life, before things started to fade, to break, was the prayer of many. To die in the arms of the person you loved, was something some only dreamed of. For both of them to die together, to never have to live without the other; was Alex's only wish for the past 20 years; it was her only fear, to live without Gene. She had died once before, alone, cold, and afraid. This time, in the end, there was nothing to be scared of. There was nothing else to loose.

"Alex, I am sorry. I failed. When it counted I just couldn't do it, couldn't save you. Well, at least now I don't have to bloody retire." He looked at her strait, never breaking eye contact.

"Don't. Don't you dare be sorry. This. This is not your fault. It is someone's twisted sick way of revenge. I love you gene hunt. I have always loved you. No one can take that away from me. And that is why they will never get what they want." She could say no more. She wished she could, but everything she would say, he already knew.

"I love you Alex. Forever. Thank you. Thank you for loving me, for being you. For giving me the life that I had. For, _saving_ me" his words cut her like knives, and her heart bled. There were no words in the end. No explanation of why this was happening. No murderer to explain his motive. No tormenting words. No words of poison. No evil presence to ruin her last moments of life. Nothing. It was a blessing, and a curse.

00:00:09. "I love you" Alex cried. Screamed into his chest.

00:00:07 . "This isn't the end Alex. Wherever we go, we will be together. Forever. I love you. Don't be scared." His final words echoed in her mind. Clamed her to her very essence. She loved him now, more than she had loved him ever. He had taken her heart. Whole. Loved her, cared for her. Protected her until the end.

00:00:03. "Forever." She kissed him. For the final time, as the world went black.

00:00:00.


	3. Chapter 2: Rebirth

** Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, your encouragment has been so helpful! I hope this chapter will be as successful as the last!**

**All thats left to say is, that i do not own Ashes to Ashes or any of it's characters, and of course, please review! xx**

* * *

Blink. Light, she could see. Sheets. Soft, she could feel. Dry. Mouth, she could taste. "Mum? Mum!". Voice, she could hear. Alex's blurry senses confirmed the impossible. She was alive.

A young girl was above her. Desperation. Hope. Joy on her face. This girl was familiar. But no! It couldn't be…

"Molly?" The young girl's face flooded with relief, and she threw her arms around her mother. Alex was numb. How could she feel? She had grieved for this world, for her daughter, had accepted her loss. Now, to be pushed back into that old life so long after she was ripped from it? So long after she had stopped trying to get back? It wasn't fair. Her heart broke. It broke from the rush of love she felt for her child. The child she had lost, who she had been separated from by death itself. The daughter whom she had expected to have changed, or to have begun moving on, was there before her, the same as the day she had held her last. She could never have expected it. It scared her. Could she be a mother again? Would she remember how? Her heart broke. It broke from the loss of her now past life. The loss of her love. Of Gene. It broke because this time there was no chance of going back there, she had no choice. It had died with her. **He** had died with her. Like it had never happened. She was back in 2008, in the future. Where she belonged. Where she always should have been. It wasn't fair. To have lived three lives, she's had enough of living, had made her peace with this world, and of her last. Not again, she couldn't live again, to make mistakes again, to feel hurt again. It wasn't fair. But life wasn't fair. _Deal with it Alex._ She had to, there was no other choice.

A man was sat in a chair behind Molly. Alex noticed him for the first time, as her senses reached out further. Evan. His own emotions were clear, they were written on his face. He had been like a father to Alex, and the trauma of her being shot had taken its toll on him. He had more wrinkles, and more grey hair. Un-surprising really, seeing as the last time she had seen him, he was 15 years younger. He smiled, and stood to join Molly;

"Alex, thank _God_ you're okay." he reached across to lay a hand on her arm.

"I am-" She couldn't find the word to sum up how she was. "Tired" it was the least of her emotions, but it was true. Technically this was the beginning of her third life, anyone would be tired. This felt bizzare, like a strange sream that you have had before. Familliar, but wrong, the emotions she felt were strange to place.

"Your right, you really should rest now Alex. Molls, how about you go and find the nurse and tell her the good news" his tone was soft, but firm, just as Alex remembered. Molly nodded, and paused to look once again at her mother before leaving the room silently. Alex turned to look at Evan, now she needed answers; what on_ earth_ was happening?

"Evan, what happened? Please tell me. I'm not too tired" she added, before he could protest. She hadn't wanted to ask in front of molly, it would have upset her.

"Alex, maybe we should wait for the nurse, she could probably explain better" Evan replied softly. Alex didn't have time for niceties, Molly would be back soon, and she didn't want to hear it from a stranger. She told her Godfather this, feeling suddenly six years old again, wanting a familiar face to talk to. How long had she been away for? Why had she stopped receiving messages? The hunger for information raged inside her. Evan nodded, and sighed before beginning to speak.

"You were shot Alex, after you were kidnapped. I think you know that much" Alex's eyes closed in response to his question. Yes that she knew. "It took a while to find you, and by the time they did, you were in a critical condition. It was touch and go. You were taken into theatre and had successful surgery to remove the bullet." Again he paused, "Then an infection developed and spread, it almost killed you Alex, but you fought it, and you pulled through. The doctors said you would need time to recover though, and they decided to put you into a medically induced coma. To allow time for the brain swelling to calm. Recently you made considerable progress, and they set about waking you up. All there was left to do was wait." Evan stopped, and he smiled gently as she processed the information.

_So that__'__s why I stopped receiving information. I was in an artificial coma. My body was being artificially controled. I had assumed I was dead, but I was getting stronger._ Finally, something made sense to Alex.

"And now I'm back in 2008" Alex held Evan's hand in her own, an IV pulling at her skin. "I'm home." Evan's face twisted.

" Alex. Yes your home, your back with us, and your going to be fine. But this isn't 2008 anymore. It's 2010. Your progress was slow, at times the doctors said it was like your brain had given up trying to re– form connections, but we got here eventually, and your going to be fine!" his previously solemn face returned to its familiar soothing half-smile.

Alex stared at Evan. Two whole years had passed, even though she had lived twenty three. It was true, she **had** given up the fight. But she hadn't realised there was a fight to win, now she was back, that was going to change, she was going to get well for Molly, she owed her that. Alex swallowed hard, her throat burning as she blinked back her overwhelmed tears. Now that her past life was over, this was her life now. _Gene_. She would never see him again, hear his voice, feel his touch; and that truth was awful. It had to be accepted though, she thought of her life now, now that she was a mother again.

The door opened, and her daughter came into view, followed by a plump brown haired woman. The woman smiled when she saw Alex looking at her;

"Ms Drake. How are you?" with a pang of her heart, Alex had to stop herself correcting her, _Mrs Hunt_. "I'm alright" she sighed, "just very tired." the woman, _Nurse Jackson _her badge said, was observing her notes.

"Well that's only to be expected. You've had major surgery, and your still coping with the attack on your body". Alex didn't reply, she didn't have to. Nurse Jackson turned to her medicine, and the machines Alex was hooked up to, before turning to Alex herself, fluffing pillows, and checking her IV and various wires. Alex's eyes were drawn to the silent girl in the corner of the room, looking almost nervous;

"Molls, come here" she beckoned her daughter, needing to comfort her. How long had it been since she had done this last? The world disappeared as she saw her daughters first smile in two years. The world became right. It lost its strange, dream like feel. Her feet had touched solid ground, she had an anchor to hold onto. She was alive. The worry, the answers, the; grief. Could wait. All that mattered for now was her daughter. Her scared little girl, who had almost lost her mother. Alex fought hard to keep her eyes open. All she saw was Molly. The Nurse and her Godfather were right, she **was** tired.

"Alex, you should sleep now. Today will have taken it's toll on you, the doctors will wait to speak to you until you wake." Nurse Jackson said quietly from somewhere behind Molly, Alex barely heard her words. She took her daughters hand, and made her lay her head on her shoulder, breathing in her smell as she closed her eyes. The world **was** alright.

"Everything will be okay now Molls, Mum's okay, everything will be fine, back to normal." her daughter breathed deep.

She slept.

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**To be continued...**


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